MANAGING INSOMNIA WITH AYURVEDA

What is insomnia?

Insomnia refers to as sleep disorder in which a person have trouble falling asleep, stay asleep, waking up at night, wakeup several hours after waking up or feel restless after waking up. It is very common sleep disorder. A person may experience fatigue and difficulty functioning throughout the day. Quality sleep plays an important role in overall health. Not getting enough sleep on regular basis makes a person mentally and physically unhealthy.

Classification of Insomnia:

1. Transient Insomnia: Lasting from a night to 1 week usually caused by altered sleep patterns, change in environment, travelling etc.

2. Short term Insomnia or primary: It lasts for few weeks usually due to emotional factors like stress or worry.

3. Chronic Insomnia or secondary: It lasts for months or more usually due to some pathology like neurological or mental ailment or due to prolonged medication.

Ayurveda and Insomnia:

Ayurveda refers Insomnia as Anidra or Nidranasha which is caused by imbalance of dosha vata, pitta and kapha.

• Vata Dosha: Specifically prana vayu gets vitiated which makes our nervous system sensitive causing insomnia. The reason behind is worrying, anxiety or depression.
• Pitta Dosha: Sadhak pitta is a type of pitta seated inside the heart which controls all the emotions, desires, spirituality etc. Imbalance in sadhak pitta leads to emotional disturbances which causes insomnia.
• Kapha Dosha : Tarpak Kapha is the type of Kapha which nourishes the brain cells that results in the restful night sleep. Imbalance in Tarpak kapha leads to insomnia.

What causes Insomnia?

Many environmental, physiological, psychological factors are contributing towards Insomnia:

• Everyday life stressors like work pressure, relationships, financial issues etc
• Unhealthy lifestyle
• Poor sleeping habits or sleeping late night
• Mental health issues like anxiety, depression etc
• Hormonal issues such as thyroid dysfunction, menopause, menstruation
• Neurological disorders like parkinson’s, alzhimer disease
• Heartburn or hyperacidity
• Chronic diseases like cancer
• Other sleeping disorders like restless leg syndrome, sleep apnea etc
• Jetlag
• Using phone during sleep hours

Risk factors for Insomnia:

• Women are more prone then men
• Pregnancy leads to hormonal shifts
• Insomnia becomes more prominent over the age of 60.
• Older people have increased Vata dosha inside the body
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) or menopause

How a person with Insomnia presents:

• Difficulty in falling asleep
• Waking up in the middle of the night and difficulty in returning back to sleep
• Feeling tired or fatigued during daytime
• Depressed mood or irritable
• Lack of concentration
• Having memory issues
• Increased anxiety
• Struggling with work, school or in relationships

Prevention for Insomnia:

• Avoid late night snacking
• Don not consume caffeine during evening hours’
• Have nutrient rich meals
• Physical exertion with yoga or exercises
• Breathing exercises and meditation to calm mind
• Drinking hot milk during sleep time
• Reading a book before sleeping
• Put TVs, smartphones, laptops away 30 min before bedtime
• Practice meditation before bedtime

Managing Insomnia with Modern medicines:

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): It includes various techniques like Stimulus control (includes quite, relaxing activities until you fall asleep), Sleep Restrictions, Bright light therapy. It also includes counseling by a therapist that helps a person to identify and replace thoughts and behavior
• Medications: Taking sleeping pills such as eszopiclone, zolpidem, triazolam can only help for short interval. These medications leads to various side effects like:
• Headache
• Dependence
• Nausea
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Allergic reactions
• Not fully awake or drowsiness during day time
• Melatonin Hormone replacement: Hormonal supplements are not safe to use for prolonged interval of time as it makes dependence and alters body’s normal hormonal cycle and giving side effects like:
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Daytime drowsiness

Managing Insomnia with Ayurveda Naturally:

• Balancing doshas normally brings back the normal sleep cycle of the person. Some powerful herbs like Ashwagandha, Tagar, Mulethi, Draksha (grapes) etc. have soothing and calming properties that aids mental peace and brings sleep. All these herbs balances Vata dosha predominantly.
• Samvahana (body massage): Massaging full body with medicated oils (vatahar) calms and nourishes the body and brings peaceful sleep. Some essential oils like jasmine, almond, sesame, sandalwood, lavender oil can be used.

• Medhya rasayana (Nootropic herbs): The herbs like Ashwagandha, tulsi, Brahmi, Mandookparni, Yastimadhu etc falls under medhaya rasayana. These herbs has the power to rejuvenate the brain cells and increases intellect. In addition to this these enhancing memory, prevents neurodegeneration, cognition and restores normal sleep.

• Panchkarma: panchkarma procedures like Shirodhara (pouring warm oil, herbal decoctions over the fore head), Nasya therapy (pouring oil drops in nasal cavity ) are really helpful in restoring normal sleep and managing Insomnia as it nourishes the brain cells.

Managing Insomnia with Chandigarh Ayurved Centre:

1. Calm Sleep tablet

CAC calm sleep tablet is an amazing combination of natural herbs like bhang, Brahmi, Tagar, jatamansi. It helps to relieve stressful conditions. They help to pacify the nervous system and also helps to calm minds and make your body relax and light.

Recommended Dosage: Take 1 tablet twice daily with normal water.

2. Brain relaxant churn

It is a herbal and purely Ayurvedic  formulation. It is 100% natural and pure. It is prepared from herbs that show calming effect on brain and gives you relaxation. It contains various herbs like Amla, Sonth, Pippali, Marich, Haldi, Bala, Suddha Gandhak, Lauh bhasma etc. that are Stress buster and provide you relief from anxiety. Herbs present in CAC Brain relaxant churna shows antioxidant, Neuroprotective, carminative and anti inflammatory properties.

Recommended Dosage: Take 1tsp twice a day with normal water.

3. Mann Mitra tablet

It is herbal and purely Ayurvedic medicine. It is used in Ayurvedic treatment for psychiatric conditions and help to balance all the three doshas of body i.e vata, pitta, kapha. CAC Mann Mitra tablet improves intelligence and speech problems. It is helpful for making the nervous system strong and nerves as well. It contains various herbs like Bala, Vacha, Shankhpushpi, Nagkeshar etc that help you fight insomnia, anxiety, and stress. It works as a antioxidant, anti depressant, immuno booster, anti epileptic and as neuro protective drug. The main ingredients are Ashwagandha, Vacha, Jeevak, Bala, Swaran bhasma. It shows effective results in Insomnia, Sleep disturbances, Anxiety, Stress booster, Immuno modulator, Schizophrenia and Panic attack.

Recommended Dosage: Take 1 tablet twice daily with normal water.